From Nettuno to the Pontine and Phlegraean Islands
The Pontine Islands lie thirty miles off the Lazio coast, and from Nettuno, the charter base closest to Rome, reaching them takes a proper sea passage. The week makes a loop of about 176 miles: wild Palmarola with no harbour at all, Ventotene with its Roman port cut into the tuff, Procida and Ischia at the mouth of the Bay of Naples, and on the way back Ponza with its grottoes and white cliffs. Three of the six days are legs of 33–42 miles, so this is a route for a crew with some experience rather than a first week under sail.
Day by day
Nettuno
- Marina di Nettuno41.454, 12.663
Take over the yacht at Marina di Nettuno, 600 metres from the station and a little over an hour by train from Rome. The leg to Palmarola is long, so many crews take the boat the evening before and leave at dawn. In town: the medieval Borgo by the sea and the American war cemetery, a reminder of the 1944 Anzio landings.
Nettuno → Palmarola
- Palmarola (Cala del Porto)40.942, 12.851
South across open water; by evening Ponza rises out of the sea with Palmarola beyond. The island has no harbour: anchor in Cala del Porto on the west side in calm weather, or in the lee if the maestrale is blowing. Cliffs, caves and water clear to the bottom at ten metres.
Palmarola → Ventotene
- Ventotene40.799, 13.432
East past the southern tip of Ponza and the lone rock of La Botte. Ventotene is a tiny island where Roman emperors exiled disgraced women of the family; Porto Romano was cut into the tuff under Augustus and is still in use. Yachts berth in the neighbouring new harbour at Cala Rossano.
Ventotene → Procida
- Procida (Chiaiolella)40.748, 14.005
East towards the Bay of Naples, past Santo Stefano with its round Bourbon prison on the summit. The night on Procida in Chiaiolella harbour, opposite the protected islet of Vivara; in the evening, walk across the island to colourful Marina Corricella.
Procida → Ischia (Forio)
- Castello Aragonese40.733, 13.968
- Forio (Ischia)40.739, 13.856
- Ischia Portomarina40.747, 13.942
- Casamicciolamarina40.751, 13.908
Round Ischia by the north coast: the Castello Aragonese on its own rock, Ischia Porto in an old crater, Casamicciola and Lacco Ameno. The night in Forio on the west coast — the closest harbour to Ponza, with the thermal gardens of Citara bay nearby.
Forio → Ponza
- Ponza40.895, 12.964
The longest leg of the week, north-west across open sea. Ponza greets you with a harbour like an amphitheatre of pastel houses; dinner on the quay in the evening, and before leaving in the morning a dinghy trip to the Grotte di Pilato, Roman fish ponds by the harbour entrance.
Ponza → Nettuno
- Marina di Nettuno41.454, 12.663
- Anziomarina41.445, 12.634
The passage back to the mainland, refuelling and handover in Nettuno.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Long legs: three days of 33–42 miles of open sea. Leave early and check the forecast for the whole day — the summer maestrale builds to 15–20 knots and a short sea by lunchtime. The fallback in bad weather is an extra night at Ventotene or Ponza instead of Ischia.
- Palmarola: no harbour and no buoys, only anchoring — and never on posidonia. Spend the night here only in settled weather; if the wind shifts, the nearest shelter is Ponza harbour five miles away. Mooring rules around Ponza and Palmarola are set by the Ponza municipality and harbour office and change from season to season.
- Reserves: Ventotene and Santo Stefano are a marine protected area — all of Santo Stefano is zone A, landing only with authorised guides, and anchoring only in designated areas. Ischia, Procida and Vivara lie in the Regno di Nettuno reserve with its own restricted zones; nowhere may you anchor on posidonia.
- Berths: Ponza, Ischia and Procida are packed and expensive in summer, so book ahead; Ventotene has few visitor berths. Ferries and hydrofoils run constantly between Ischia, Procida and Naples — keep a good lookout.
How to get to the marina
- Marina di Nettuno, Lazio
- Rome Fiumicino (FCO) — 75 km, 65 min by carRome Ciampino (CIA) — 50 km, 50 min by car
50–70 min · €100–140 per car
From Ciampino, the airport closest to Nettuno, a metered taxi south via Aprilia; Rome's fixed airport fares do not apply to this trip.
1–1.5 h · €130–180 per car
Pre-booked transfer from Fiumicino along the coast to the marina, about an hour without traffic, at a fixed price per car.
1–1.5 h · €30–60 per day
Rental at Fiumicino; the marina has paid parking. You can pick the car up at the airport and drop it in Nettuno if the rental firm allows.
2–3 h · €18–22 per person
Leonardo Express from Fiumicino to Roma Termini (about 32 minutes), then a regional train to Nettuno (about 1 h 10 min); the marina is 600 metres' walk from the station.
Rome–Nettuno trains run roughly hourly, less often at weekends — check the Trenitalia timetable for your arrival day.
Prices are autumn 2026 estimates in euros; times are without traffic. Bus and ferry timetables change with the season, so check them before you travel.
When to go and what it costs in Italy
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Italy
All boats in Italy
How long is the Nettuno — Ponza route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 176 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Nettuno. Overnight stops in order: Marina di Nettuno, Palmarola (Cala del Porto), Ventotene, Procida (Chiaiolella), Forio (Ischia), Ponza. The longest leg is day 6, 42 nm.
How do I get to the marina for the Nettuno — Ponza route?
The route starts and finishes at Marina di Nettuno, Lazio. The nearest airport is Rome Fiumicino (FCO), 75 km away. Fastest: taxi, 50–70 min, €100–140 per car. Cheapest: train and metro, 2–3 h, €18–22 per person.
When is the best time to sail the Nettuno — Ponza route?
Italy's season runs May to October. June and September give the best balance of weather and price; July and August are the peak, with expensive, busy marinas, which is why in Sardinia you anchor out. May and October are the shoulder months: cooler water, cheaper boats. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is November: a median of ≈€254 per berth per week. The most expensive is January, at ≈€280. The most boats with 20% off or more are in November: 52%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Italy for a week starts from €780 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Italy”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
